Dispenser structure



M. E. ANDERSON DISPENSER STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 20, 1957 fr M United States Patent Filed Nov. 20, 1957, Ser. No. 697,668 6 Claims. (Cl. 134-58) This invention relates to the dispensing of metered amounts offluid, particularly to the dispensing of small amounts of a rinse additive into a household dishwashing' machine to prevent water spotting of the dishes and glass` ware during air drying. The invention also has applica-.j

tion in the dispensing of detergents into the dishwashing machine.

Objects of the invention are toprovide -a dispensing` structure wherein:

(1) Air is used as a working medium in such manner` as' not to require the use of valve mechanisms in exten'- sive direct contact with the viscous and corrosive liquid materials being dispensed, v v 1v I (2) Control of the working medium is effectedv by arelatively inexpensive and reliable solenoid which acts to'y precisely Ydetermine the time in the wash-rinse cycle when the liquid is dispensed, and Y p (3) lExpensive pumping devices and high pressure.- cavities or seals are eliminated, leading to inherent eco#l nomy in production costs. l .l

Other objects of this invention will appear inthe fol# lowing description and appended claims, referencebeingl had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of thi's specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the severalviews'.- 1I

`FIG. l is a sectional view through a dishwashing ma-" chine door havingV anl embodiment of the' invention mounted therein, and i FIG. 2 is a section view on line 2-2 in FIG; 1. Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is t'o be understood that the invention is not limited in its apr-l plication to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings', since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and notof limitation. v q n In the drawings there is shown a dishwashing machine door includinganinner-panellz (exposed to the machine -interior)rand A--anrouterpanel 14. ySuitable pivot structure isprovided adjacent the lower edge of the do o`r (not shown) to permit it to be pulled from its illustrated vertical position down into a horizontal position for loading the machine with dishes.

Between door panels 12 and 14 there is iixedly positioned a container structure 16 forming a large reservoir 18 for the storage of a large supply of liquid additive which it is desired to inject into the dishwashing machine. In the illustrated embodiment reservoir 18 has a capacity of ve luid ounces, which is suicient for approximately two hundred seventy-ve injections of liquid into the washing machine.

Below reservoir -18 there is formed a sub-reservoir 20, which receives liquid from reservoir 18 through a narrow entrance opening 22. A duct 24 leads laterally from sub-reservoir 20 at 26 and then upwardly to a point 38 above a metering chamber 30.

A rubber cap 32 overlies the upper face of structure 16 to define an air opening 34 which communicates with a laterally extending duct section 36. A narrow opening 38 puts metering chamber 30 in communication with duct section 36.

Air opening 34 is closed by an armature 40 which is ICC 2 t slidablypositioned in a tubular guide 42 contained within asolenoid 44. v A compression spring in the upper end' ofguide 42.l (not shown) acts to force armature 40 into opening 34 except when the solenoid is energized.

- Metering chamber 30 is'provided with a small discharge passage 46 which communicates with a relatively large filler cavity 48. A passage '50 puts cavity 48 in com-y munication with reservoir 18. The flller cavity is removA ably closed by a cap 51, which is formed with a small opening or groove 52 for dispensing the fluid received' from metering chamber30. Container structure 16 is' initially lled by first pivotingl door 10 downwardly to a horizontal position wherein` imaginary-line 54 lies horizontal.v Cap 51 is unthreaded from the container structure anduid is pouredl into filler cavity 48. `Some'of the iluid. flows through passage 50 into reservoir 18, and some of the uid flows through pas.4

sage 46 into metering chamber 30; When the uid leveiisi-above passage 50 (Le. the right edge of passage 50 inl. FIG. 1),cap 51 is replaced. Passage Si) is positioned?- slightly to the left of the right limit of reservoir 18;" therefore when the door is pivoted back to the illustrated vertical position the fluid in cavity 48 iiows into reser# voir. 18.

Normally armature 40 is in its illustrated position close' ing the` air opening34; as a result there is a vacuum force onthe liquid in chamber which prevents any of the liquid from owing out `through .discharge passage. 46'..

However when .solenoid 44 is. energized at the predeter' mined time 'in the wash-rinse cycle armature 4i) is raised' so as to release the vacuum force above chamber 30 and" thereby permit the chamber 30 liquid to be discharged"l through passage 46.and opening 52.

After the iirst cycle metering chamber 3d receives its:` supply of liquid fromreservoir 418. `In operation, when door 10.is.in the kclosed vertical position chamber 301is positioned above reservoir 1S; hence it cannot receive a:

" supply of liquid. However, when the door is pivotedA outwardly to an open position for loading the machine,: imaginary line..54 will be in a horizontal plane. Sub' reservoir 20 will be positioned above line S4, and chamberj 30 will be positioned below line 54. As a result Huid-i will be enabled to gravitate from sub-reservoir 20 through y force prevents any of the liquid from escaping throughv passage 46.. It should be noted that, in the illustrated:`

position, duct 24 connects,v with the metering chambez'ifrom a point above said chamber; consequently when solenoid 44 is energized to release the vacuum all of the chamber 30 liquid is discharged into the washing machine, with none of it yilowing back into duct 24.

Sub-reservoir 20 is dened in part by a wall 58, which has the function of retaining a predetermined quantity of liquid in the sub-reservoir when the door is pivoted to a horizontal position. This' predetermined quantity is the same whether reservoir 1S is completely filled or only partially filled. The arrangement enables the dispensing structure to deliver the same quantity of liquid into the washing machine at each ejection. The device operates without expensive pumps or high pressure seals. Additionally the air valve member 40 is normally out of contact with the viscous and corrosive liquids being dispensed, thereby eliminating valve sticking and improper fit between moving parts.

in said door; a relatively small metering chamber in said door above said reservoir; a conduit between the lower end of the reservoir and the metering chamber; said metering chamber being located adjacent the outer face, of the door, and the connection of the conduit with the reservoir being located adjacent the inner face of the door; a discharge passage for the metering chamber leading to the interior of the dishwasher chamber; and electricallyoperated valve means controlling uid flow from the metering chamber into the discharge passage; Ithe claimed arrangement being such that the aforementioned conduit connection is positioned in a plane above the metering chamber when the door is in a horizontal position so as to allow fluid to flow through the conduit into themetering chamber.

2. In a washing machine having a washing chamber, a vertically positioned door for said chamber mounted for downward pivotal movement to a substantially horizontal position; a relatively large fluid reservoir in said door; a relatively small sub-reservoir at the lower end of the large reservoir; a relatively small metering chamber in, said door above the large reservoir; arduct between the sub-reservoir and metering chamber; said metering chamber being located adjacent the outer face of the door, and the sub-reservoir being located adjacent the.A inner face of the door, whereby when the door is in a horizontal position the sub-reservoir is located in a plane abovev the metering chamber so as to allow lluid to ow through the, duct into the metering chamber; a discharge passage `for the metering chamber leading to Ithe interior of the dishwasher chamber; an air opening in the metering chamber wall; a piston closing said opening so as to provide a vacuum for preventing ow out of the metering chamber; and a solenoid for withdrawing the piston from the opening so as to release the vacuum and permit fluid oW into the discharge passage.

3. In a washing machine having a Washing chamber, the combination comprising a movable door for said chamber; a relatively large liquid reservoir in the door; a relatively small liquid metering chamber in ythe door; said metering chamber being connected with the reservoir so as to be filled by movement of the door; a dischargepassage for the metering chamber leading to the interior of the dishwasher chamber; an air opening in the metering chamber Wall above said discharge passage; Valve means for closing said air opening to provide a vacuum for preventing ow from the metering chamber into the discharge passage; said metering chamber being sealed fromy atmosphere above the level of said discharge passage excepting for said valved air opening; and means to open said valve means for destroying the vacuum to permit ow into the discharge passage.

4. In a washing machine having a washing chamber, a vertically positioned door for said chamber mounted for downward pivotal movement to a substantially horizontal position; a containenstructur in said door; said container structure defining a relatively large reservoir, a relatively small sub-reservoir at the lower end of the large reservoir adjacent the inner face of the door, a metering chamber above thelargereservoir adjacent `the outer face of the door, a duct between the sub-reservoir and metering chamber, an air opening in the metering chamber wall, a discharge passage for the metering chamber, leading to the interior of the dishwasher chamber; and a filling duct for the large reservoir located adjacent the discharge passage; a cap removably positioned on the container structure for closing the lling duct; an opening in the cap for dispensing the uid in the vdischarge passage; a solenoid positioned on the container structure overlying the air opening; and an armature within the solenoid for closing the air opening when the solenoid is energized; whereby, when the door is moved to its horizontal posi-` tion ud flows through the iirst duct into the metering,

fr chamber, and when the door is subsequently moved into its vertical position the iiud is retained in the metering chamber until after the solenoid has been energized to withdraw the armature from the air opening.

5. A liquid dispensing device to be carried on the pivotal lid of a container to dispense a metered amount of liquid into the container comprising the combination of a housing structure defining a relatively large reservoir for storing liquid, a relatively small metering chamber receiving liquid from said reservoir, and a discharge passage from said metering chamber to permit gravitational ow therefrom into said container, an air opening in the metering chamber wall, above the discharge passage, valve means closing said air opening to provide a vacuum for preventing ow from the metering chamber into the discharge passage, said metering chamber being sealed from atmosphere above the level of said discharge passage excepting for said valved air opening, and means to open said valve means for destroying the vacuum to permit owthrough the discharge passage.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5 and further characf terized in that electrically-operated means are provided to open said valve means for destroying the vacuum.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,615,413 Snyder Jan. 25, 1927 2,490,634 Keene Dec; 6, 1949 2,699,886 James Jan. 18, 1955 Hill Feb. 7, 1956 

